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How to get good sleep in your RV? We want it, too! As full-time RVer’s we’ve had our fair share of no sleep nights. Either, we find an awesome, secluded spot and in the middle of the night someone pulls up next to us with their lights on, music up, and generator running. Come on, y’all! Or, one of us is ready to sleep and the other’s not and wants lights on, so we’re both frustrated.

6 Must Have’s for Better Sleep in Your RV

Ear Plugs

Adam’s a super sensitive sleeper, so if he gets woken up, it’s a good chance he’s up the rest of the night tossing and turning. So he keeps a tiny bag of ear plugs under his pillow to keep any noises (my turning of a book page or noisy neighbors) out of ear shot.

He has the bright orange neon ones just like these I found on Amazon.

Foam Ear Plugs

2. Eye Mask

If you want to take a nap in the camper mid-day or your partner wants to read with the lights still on, snag one of these. We got ours from an international flight we took and still use it. Or, grab one on Amazon. Ooooo! Silky, silky!

Silk Eye Mask

3. Head Lamp

For us, we rarely doze off at the same time. A lot of nights one of us is still reading while the other wants to pass out. Instead of keeping overhead lights on to light our book, we’ve found that using our head lamps is better for the other person sleeping. The headlamp keeps the light more directed into the book instead having an overhead light on making it hard for the other person to fall asleep.

Here’s the headlamp I use and it has three settings of light.

Head Lamp

4. Awesome Mattress

One of the best things you can do for yourself is invest in a good mattress! We LOVE our mattress and it’s not expensive- less than $250!

The best sleep we get is on this mattress in our camper! We’re not exaggerating. We’d rather sleep in our camper at family and friend’s houses when we’re visiting. Shhh… don’t tell them:)

We bought our camper from another couple and they included this mattress in the sale. However, we love it so much, when we recently moved back into our house in Colorado, I bought these same mattresses for in our home while we’re base camping there part time of the year. We totally recommend this mattress with five stars!

Spa Sensations Memory Foam Mattress, 8 inch, Full Size

5. Cool Sheets for Summer

We’ve found that our sheet choice really affects our sleep in the different seasons. We have cool sheets for hot, muggy summer nights and flannel for cold, winter nights.

I’ve been hearing a lot about these bamboo sheets that stay cool all night. Right now we have cotton, but we may try these for next summer! Wanted to share this with you:)

Cool Sheets for Summer

6. Flannel Sheets for Winter

We love our flannel sheets! They make a huge difference in the winter months keeping us warmer all night. Here’s a list of must have winter items I keep on hand too to make sure I keep myself warm. If not, I’m a cold grouch!

Just seeing these flannel sheets makes me want to crawl into bed for a nap:)

We both had our answers pretty quickly and our friend was shocked they weren't electronics.

We call these items our MVP's of Gear.

The one thing we always pack with us and why:

Lindsey's Most Valuable Piece of Gear:

Perfect as a headband, ear warmer, and a neck guard on the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand.

A BUFF

What is a buff?

A Buff's a continuous loop of fabric you can use for anything!

Here's why it's my #1 packing item:

I can use it in so many ways in both hot and cold weather! This is important, because when Adam and I set out on a trip, we have a general idea of where we're going but no set plans and no itinerary. We figure it out as we go. This means when I'm packing for months worth of travel, I have no idea what weather I'm getting myself into. So, when I'm packing I cover myself with clothes for both hot and cold weather.

I love my Buff! It covers me for everything and is so tiny to pack. In hot weather I use it as a hair tie, a head band, and as a rag. And for cold weather I use it as a hat, an ear muff, and to cover my neck. This simple piece of fabric is essential for me!

Adam's Most Valuable Piece of Gear:

Epic wipes were needed after cruising muddy trails in West Virginia with no water hookups for showers in the camper!

BABY WIPES

Why is it Adam's #1 packing item?

They're a showerless way to clean every nook and cranny on your body-- I mean every nook and cranny;)

After experiencing South East Asia's toilet hygiene habits for six months, Adam was converted. And it makes total sense--- we heard this from our friend Daranee who's a doctor in Thailand. She put it this way (I'm paraphrasing here): "When you go out to work in the dirt in the garden, you don't come inside and wipe your hands with dry paper towels to clean off-- ew! You wash your hands to clean yourself. Same goes for doing your duty. Why use just dry toilet paper to clean?" Interesting point. Very interesting point. We know:)

Be Prepared!

You can snag both of these on Amazon so you're ready to pack them away on your next trip.

Over our travels I've commented to Adam, "Remember the days when flying used to be fun?"

Do you remember?

Remember when you could wait for your family and friends at the gate? You could hug them right away when they landed.

Remember when checking bags was free? We would check our bags and forget about them until we landed.

Now, the whole thing is stressful. We carry all of our stuff with us through the whole process and we have to unpack it and repack it through the security line.

Our experience at Tucson International Airport was so different. We still went through the whole unpack, repack thing, but we didn't feel the normal feelings of being disheveled and those "I survived," and "Glad that's over!" kind of feelings.

We left the security line feeling happy and light. It was an experience with friendliness and smiles. It was weird. It was remarkable. It took me back to the fun days of flying.

Let me tell you the story:

1. They're Friendly Any Hour of the Day

It was 5:09 AM in Tucson International's Airport. We had woken up 30 minutes before at the hotel. We gave ourselves ten minutes to get dressed and out of the hotel, ten minutes to drop off the rental car, and ten minutes to head into the terminal.

We were waiting in the security line between the black retractable queue stands guiding us up the ramp to give our tickets and IDs to the security staff.

However, ahead of me to my right, a security staff member was walking down the line greeting and chatting with every passenger ahead of me.

Still asleep, I wasn't in a cheerful, chatty mood. It was 5:09 AM, I had just woken up, and security lines are supposed to be straight faced, get in and get out situations.

I knew I was his next greeting and I prepared myself to be short and sweet.

"Good morning ma'am. Can I help you with anything?" he said kindly with a smile. I kept it short and polite with a "No, thank you."

In my head I said, "This is weird. I'm just ready to get through this."

2. Warm, Smiling, Chatty

The first security man wasn't a fluke. It was the culture.

It was our turn to go through the swinging black stall gate and give our ID's and tickets to the security woman.

You know, this is the security staff that's sitting on a stool behind the black podium. They're always straight faced, looking miserable, they never look you in the eye, and they never crack a smile. They scan your ticket, sign it with a highlighter, look at the long line behind you, sigh, then hand the ticket and your ID back to you. "NEXT!"

Well, this woman in Tucson didn't fit the mold.

She greeted us warmly and started chatting. "Hi! So, are you headed home?"

For us, that question is a bit difficult. We started explaining, but she was confused. We were in Tucson, heading to Atlanta with a Colorado ID. That's not normal.

So I said, "Well, we're traveling in a camper around the US. This was a quick trip for business. Adam's an accountant and helps people figure out their taxes with this lifestyle."

She beamed! I was confused now. "A smiling security person? What?"

"My husband and I want to do that! That's our dream after we retire. Please give me your card- I'll be needing it one day."

Not expecting to share his card in the security check point line, Adam had packed it deep in his backpack. While he fumbled to grab it, she continued to share her dreams of RVing through retirement.

When he finally found it, she said, "Oh, this is awesome! I'll be in touch! Safe travels out there."

Then, she motioned us to the security belt area.

As I made my way forward, I turned back to Adam with a "What's happening here?" look.

Two friendly security folks? This wasn't normal.

My mind was changed mid security line. Their staff was treating us like people not cattle. And, I was no longer seeing them as obstacles to successfully pass through, I was seeing them as humans with emotions and dreams.

3. Even When They Have to Investigate your Bag

Now it was the time to unload computers, toiletries, take off our shoes, and get a pat down.

Along with unloading all of that, I always unload my big bottle of "medical" contact solution. I've learned I can take it, but because it's bigger than 2 oz. it causes an inspection every time.

As expected, my grey plastic container got dinged and the next security guy pulled the box over to test my contact solution.

I grabbed my other two bags, shoved my computer into my backpack, and hopped over to him trying to put my shoes on. The stress of it all.

For the third time that morning in the security line, we had a friendly conversation.

The security guard asked about our travels and we quickly got on the topic of camping and travel trailers.

We learned of his dreams to buy a camper and travel with his family.

My contact lens solution came back negative, I packed it away and we were all cheerfully wishing each other "good days."

Still dark out at 5:17 AM, Tucson's friendly security staff had transformed me from a sleepy, short-mooded passenger to cheerful and excited for the day.

Each of them made the airport security experience enjoyable. Now, that's remarkable!

Congratulations to the Tucson International Airport security staff!

Thank you for flipping the status quo and making the airport security line enjoyable!

Who knew just a bit of friendly conversation while performing the same tasks can transform a passenger's experience.

This is possible for every airport!

Please share this if you agree! And, share it with folks you know in the airport industry.

Join in and get updates on the #nuventures!

We'll discover together!

Which mission should you visit in Tucson, Arizona? We had to make the same decision on our quick 48-hour trip.

We only had a small amount of time to sight-see between Adam's tax talk at the RVer's Escapades and our flights.

I had done some research and was uncertain which mission to see while we were there.

I intended to go to San Pedro Chapel from a Pinterest find, but through a series of mis-#nuventures we ended up at Mission San Xavior del Bac.

I'm so glad we did! The special history, the beauty, and the views around the mission make it an amazing spot to visit. We spontaneously stepped back in time to the 18th Century!

Here are 5 reasons to fit the Mission San Xavior del Bac into your trip:

1. It's free

You can't get better than free. And, you'll be amongst hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world who come to the Mission to see some of the best Spanish Colonial architecture in the US.

2. The beauty outside

The Mission was built in 14 years between 1783 and finished in 1797. The architectural details for that time period are amazing!

March is a great time to visit. The cacti on the Mission's grounds will be blooming!

3. The beauty inside

Since the mission was completed in 1797, the interior work is all hand carved and hand painted. It's still in tact and has been maintained very well. The detailed craft work is incredible!

Make sure to admire the details. The door handle to the sanctuary is a serpent (click the left picture above to get a closer look.) And, you can see where the original nails in the doors were hammered in by the masons (click the right picture above to see).

4. History

Throughout the mission's history, it's remained in the same place but has been a part of three different countries.

When the Mission was first constructed, it was in the area of New Spain. Then, when Mexico gained it's independence in 1821, it became a part of Mexico. About 30 years later in 1854, after the Gadsden Purchase, the mission found itself in United States Territory.

These walls have experienced a lot (including an earthquake)!

5. The Views

To the right of the mission, you can climb a small hill with a cross at the top. Up here, you can light candles, pray and see the amazing view surrounding the mission. Enjoy!

Keep the history going by making a donation at the gift shop at the end of your trip to help maintain the Mission:)